Natsu and Fireball walked in silence as they made their way to Natsu's home. It was an uncomfortable silence and Natsu didn't really care but Fireball was nervous. He could tell how Natsu felt about Lucy but didn't understand why he was seeing Ashley if he didn't like her. Fireball then stopped walking as Natsu continued not caring what he wanted to say.

Natsu felt rather upset about this arrangement even though it wasn't real.

"Why?" Fireball asked as Natsu stopped walking and turned to look at him.

"Why what?"

"Why are you dating Ashley?" He asked clenching his fist.

"For the same reason you and Lucy are,"

Fireball looked at me a little surprised at first. He was unsure of what Natsu meant. He had an idea that Natsu was awake when he was there and listening to their conversation but would he really just pretend to date Ashley just to get back at them?

"What reason is that?" Fireball questioned.

"You know,"

Fireball raised his brow at Natsu and moved a step closer.

"So you did overhear us then," he said.

"And what of it?"

"Does that mean that you like her?"

Natsu visibly stiffened at the question. His mind started to run over everything that has been happening as his heart raced and his stomach did flips. Did he like her? Even he was not sure but he couldn't deny that he felt something special for his blond teammate.

"I don't know,"

"Explain to me whats going on in your head right now," he said.

"Well, there is this weird feeling in my stomach every time I think of her, right now my heart is racing and I can't exactly think straight when it comes to her. I feel overly protective, even though I always protect my friends but for some reason, it's worse with her. I always hate it when she is mad at me but with others I couldn't care. Unless it's Erza of course but I don't know what to make of this." Natsu explained.

"I would say that you definitely have feelings for your best friend."

Natsu's eyes widened as the words repeated in his head over and over again. After several minutes of him trying to process what he was being told Natsu finally turned towards Fireball once more.

"What if she doesn't like me?"

Fireball chuckled before placing a hand on Natsu's shoulder.

"I wouldn't worry too much about that,"

"Why?" Natsu asked looking at Fireball like he was crazy for the way he was laughing.

"Because I am positive that she likes you,"

"What makes you so sure?" Natsu questioned.

"Well first off, she tried to avoid telling you about us 'dating' when we first decided and after that she kept watching you and your reaction. Every time she speaks of you she has a distant and longing look in her eyes and I have also noticed that she always blushed at any close contact that you two make," Fireball informed.

Natsu took sometime to think over everything that he was just told. He didn't know about the look she gave when talking about him but he did notice some of the other things. His mind played through several of the moments they spent together and certain things stuck out to him. His mind started replaying all the times that he has seen her blush and it was mostly because of something he did.

He remembered that if Loke did anything she would just get annoyed and if it was any other guy she would just brush it off but he wondered what she would do if he made a comment towards her. He then decided that he was going to test that theory tomorrow when they met up at the guild.

They had started walking once again and he noticed the distress on Fireballs face.

"What's up?"

"Well, I am just worried that this fake dating with Lucy wont work," he exclaimed.

"It will,"

"How do you know?" Fireball asked with hope flashing though his eyes.

"She knows about the fake dating and she only asked me out to get back at you but I could tell that she was upset about the idea,"

"Really?" Fireball's face lit up with a smile at the news that he was just given.

A new hope came to him as he looked back down at his feet.

"How about this, I help you and you help me," Natsu said extending his hand.

He had caught Fireball off guard but he readily agreed.

It was morning and Lucy took her usual spot at the bar with Mirajane and Erza. Both of the Natsu's had yet to show up and Ashley isn't much of a morning person. There was the normal chatter and noise that you could expect from the guild. People laughing and drinking even though the morning had just started. Cana already had three glasses of her favorite beer as she worked on her fourth. Juvia was standing a good distance from Gray as she watched him with hearts in her eyes, more then likely picturing some weird delusion of Gray confessing to her.

"Hey Lucy, what's with the sad face?" Mirajane asked as she grabbed the empty plate that once had a slice of cake on it from Erza.

"Nothing, it just seems like our plan isn't working. Turns out that Ashley actually likes Natsu not Fireball," Lucy explained.

"Oh really? What happened?" Mirajane pried as she always loved hearing juicy information on her friends.

"Her and Natsu are now dating," Lucy explained as she sighed.

Mirajane epped and Erza turned her head towards them in surprise.

"Oh my! This is interesting," Mirajane clasped her hands in front of her as she went into some daydream of the four of them.

"So, you and Fireball are 'dating' as is Ashley and Natsu?" Erza asked.

Lucy nodded as she ran her hand through her hair. It looked like Lucy had a hard time sleeping last night with the bags that were under her eyes and her slightly disheveled look. Her hair was not brushed as neatly as usual and her clothes didn't even match which definitely told everyone just how upset she was about this.

"Did you ever think that they are doing the same thing that you and Fireball are?" Mirajane asked coming out of her daydream.

"Of course it's not like that, why would Natsu even be willing to go along with such a thing?"

"You never know~" Mirajane said in a sing song type of voice.

Lucy just sighed once more thinking of how her friends always over thought things. There was no way that they had some scheme up their sleeves. Natsu just isn't the type for things like that. As if knowing that he was being talked about, the guild doors burst open to reveal the twin Natsu's as they walked in. They both headed in Lucy's direction. She noticed that Natsu had a smirk on his face and she felt a chill run down her spine.

Why did he seem so happy, she wondered.

"Hey Luce,"

"Hey Lucy,"

They both greeted her as she returned the gesture then spun back around to the bar as they took a seat on each side of her. She had to admit that it was weird having both of them on each side of her. She felt flustered just being close to them.

"Where is Ashley?" Fireball asked.

"She hasn't showed up yet, not much of a morning person," Lucy explained.

Fireball nodded knowing only to well what happens if you try to wake her. He leaned in closer to Lucy's ear.

"So did anything happen while we were gone?" Fireball whispered in her ear.

She shook her head as she thought over last night. All that happened was that Ashley said that she didn't think it would be that easy to get him to date her and that she thought this pairing between the four of them fit well when it came to personalities because me and Fireball have a lot in common and the same goes with Ashley and Natsu.

It felt like she was rubbing lemon juice into a wound when she said that but Lucy fought back the sudden urge to cry. She didn't want to let anyone know what she felt on the inside about this whole thing. Her mind was in turmoil over everything. Lucy was too lost in thought to see that Fireball had walked away but as he left he shot Natsu a quick smirk then decided to act like he had to use the bathroom.

"Lucy,"

Lucy snapped out of her thoughts at the sound of her partners raspy voice. Just the way it sounded set her face in a light shade of pink. She would never admit what this boy could do to her with just saying her name.

"y-yes Natsu?" she questioned slightly nervous for some reason.

"Is something wrong?" He asked as he noticed that something seemed to be bothering her.

"N-no it's nothing,"

He reached his hand out and placed it gently on her face as he rubbed her cheek bone. Lucy could feel the intense heat rising to her face that rivaled the heat coming from Natsu's hand. As Lucy's face went crimson, Natsu's eyes flashed with a look of amusement that went unnoticed by Lucy.

"You know you can tell me anything right?"

"Y-yeah, of c-course. T-thanks N-Natsu,"

Natsu smirked as he pulled his hand away happy with the reaction that he got. He knew that she never blushes like that at someone else's touch. He felt ecstatic with his findings and couldn't help but puff out his chest in pride. He also liked seeing that color on Lucy's face and decided that he wanted to see it on there more often. Fireball finally came back from the 'bathroom' and sat back down on the other side of Lucy.

"Lucy, is something wrong? Your face is red," he commented as Lucy's face went even redder as she glanced in Natsu's direction and quickly turned away but he caught her in the corner of his eye.

Natsu felt accomplished and couldn't hold back the smile that spread across his face as he kept picturing Lucy's blushing face.

~Tbc~